McDonald's Australia reveals how America is doing it all wrong

McDonald's
is failing in the US, but in Australia the brand is thriving.

The fast-food chain has reported three straight quarters of
same-store sales growth in Australia, where the burger company is
fondly known as "Macca's." Domestically, McDonald's is struggling
to recover from its sixth straight quarter of same-store sales
declines.

So what's so different about McDonald's in Australia?

Basically everything — including the ingredients, the restaurant
models, the service, the menu, and the public image, according to
Bloomberg.

In Australia, many of the restaurants are unrecognizable compared
with those in the US. They have bars of fresh food where you can
watch your order being prepared.

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The menu includes two types of buns, four kinds of cheese, and 19
specialty toppings, such as grilled pineapple, guacamole, and
beetroot.

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This McDonald's is serving samples of smashed avocado on
sourdough for breakfast.

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Customers order and pay for
their food using a touch-screen kiosk that looks like
this:

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And the burgers, which are served on wooden pallets, look like
this:

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Here are some of the toppings customers can add to their
burgers:

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When a customer's order is ready, it is delivered to the
customer's table by a server.

McDonald's Australia

And dessert includes customizable Belgian
waffles.

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There are also display cases full of muffins, macaroons
and cupcakes.

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Breakfast looks like this, with coffee made from real
espresso machines:

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The digital kiosks, table
service, and special burgers are part of a program called "Create
Your Taste," which is being rolled out nationally in Australia.
McDonald's just launched tests of the program in the US.

McDonald's is also testing a new concept called
The Corner in Australia.

It's an upscale restaurant in which you can order salad, soup,
sandwiches, and rice bowls.